Bunny and the Bull (2009): A road trip through dioramas and daydreams

ByFabian Bullitt

1981 • Paul King • 2.35:1 • Jump to Gallery ↓

Bunny and the Bull is the first feature-length film directed by Paul King, who is now known for the Paddington movies. It follows a reclusive man who has not left his apartment for months since experiencing trauma. As he attempts to piece together memories of a road trip he took with his best friend across Europe, he is forced to confront the truth in order to move forward.

The film revolves around a series of stylised, often artificial, recreations of past events. The sets are deliberately constructed from everyday objects such as life-size dioramas made of cardboard and cut-outs, which transform simple flashbacks into a visual process and blur the boundary between reality and imagination. The road trip through Europe is as much a journey of healing for one man as it is a physical one.

Blending comedy with introspective drama, Bunny and the Bull uses low-budget creativity as a narrative tool. Exploring memory, reconstruction, and subjective perception, it functions as a character study that externalises internal conflict through design and performance.

Technical Specs:

  • The Story: An agoraphobic recluse relives a surreal European road trip with his best friend, through memories sparked by the clutter of his apartment, as fantasy and reality blur in a handcrafted, whimsical journey of grief and friendship. Read my review of Bunny and the Bull.
  • Actors: Edward Hogg, Simon Farnaby, Veronica Echegui, Noel Fielding, Julian Barratt, Richard Ayoade.
  • Director: Paul King
  • Year: 2009
  • Cinematographer: John Sorapure
  • Origin: British Cinema
  • Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
  • Genre: Drama & Romance
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